Measles Alert In Western Australia: What Travelers Need To Know About Recent Outbreak

Published on September 15, 2025

From July to September 2025, a bales outbreak was reported successful Western Australia (WA), pinch 16 cases identified crossed nan region. Of these, 5 cases were successful returned overseas travellers, while nan remaining eleven were locally acquired. The alert, which was issued by Dr. Paul Armstrong, Director of nan Communicable Disease Control Directorate, highlights nan value of being vigilant against this highly contagious viral infection. Measles remains a important nationalist wellness concern, particularly fixed its expertise to dispersed quickly done airborne droplets. Individuals who person been exposed to nan microorganism should cautiously show their wellness for immoderate signs of infection.

What Is Measles and How Is It Spread?
Measles is simply a viral unwellness that typically develops wrong 7 to 18 days pursuing exposure. It is known for its highly infectious nature, making it easy to dispersed successful areas pinch precocious ft postulation aliases confined spaces. The microorganism is transmitted via airborne droplets, which tin linger successful nan aerial for up to 30 minutes aft an infected personification has near nan area. This intends that moreover those who participate a room aft an infected personification has departed whitethorn still beryllium astatine consequence of contracting nan disease. Individuals who person not been vaccinated aliases who deficiency immunity are peculiarly susceptible to infection. Those calved before 1966 aliases those who person received two doses of nan bales vaccine are mostly considered immune. Even vaccinated individuals are not wholly immune successful uncommon cases, though they are little apt to create terrible symptoms.

Exposure Locations and Times
A database of exposure locations wherever individuals whitethorn person been astatine consequence of encountering bales during nan outbreak play has been provided. Anyone who visited these locations astatine nan specified times is urged to monitor for symptoms of nan illness betwixt 7 to 18 days aft exposure. New locations are highlighted successful bold. Key locations include: Tods Café, Halls Head connected Monday, 08 September 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 pm; Dan Murphy’s Butler and Coles Brighton connected Saturday, 06 September 2025, betwixt 10:00 americium and 12:00 pm; Woolworths Clarkson connected Sunday, 31 August 2025, astatine an chartless time. A afloat database of affected locations is available, providing elaborate accusation astir erstwhile and wherever group mightiness person been exposed.

Who Is astatine Risk?
While anyone who has visited nan vulnerability locations aliases travelled overseas during this play whitethorn beryllium astatine risk, circumstantial groups are much susceptible to nan effects of measles. These see individuals who person not received nan due vaccinations aliases those who person not been antecedently exposed to nan virus. High-risk groups include: children calved aft 1965 who person not received nan two-dose bales vaccine; immunocompromised individuals, including those undergoing crab curen aliases pinch different conditions that impact their immune systems; young children who whitethorn not yet person received each their vaccinations; and pregnant women, who are astatine accrued consequence of complications. These groups should return other precautions to debar vulnerability to measles.

Symptoms and Transmission
Measles symptoms typically statesman pinch a fever, followed by a scope of respiratory symptoms specified arsenic a runny nose, cough, and sore reddish eyes. A red blotchy rash often appears 3-4 days aft nan onset of fever and is simply a telltale motion of infection. The rash typically starts connected nan look and spreads down to nan body, lasting for 4 to 7 days. People pinch bales usually consciousness rather unwell and immoderate whitethorn request infirmary care. Complications from nan infection tin see pneumonia and, successful uncommon cases, encephalitis (inflammation of nan brain), which tin beryllium life-threatening.

Measles is contagious from one time before nan onset of symptoms until four days after nan rash appears. This extended play of infectiousness increases nan consequence of transmission, peculiarly successful settings for illustration waiting rooms aliases crowded nationalist areas. As nan microorganism tin beryllium dispersed by airborne droplets, anyone who suspects they person been exposed to bales should return precautions to forestall spreading nan microorganism to others.

Recommendations for nan General Public
Anyone who attended nan listed vulnerability sites during nan specified dates and times should intimately show for bales symptoms complete a play of 7 to 18 days. It is basal that individuals who create symptoms deterioration a mask, isolate themselves, and activity aesculapian attention. Before visiting a wide believe session aliases emergency department, individuals should call ahead to pass nan unit of a imaginable bales case, allowing them to hole isolation protocols and minimize nan consequence of spreading nan microorganism to others. Additionally, individuals concerned astir imaginable vulnerability extracurricular of business hours tin interaction healthdirect connected 1800 022 222 for advice.

The nationalist is powerfully urged to stay up to day pinch vaccinations. Those calved aft 1965 should verify they person received two documented doses of a measles-containing vaccine. For those readying world travel, it is advisable to consult a wide practitioner aliases a recreation expert to talk due vaccinations. Babies arsenic young arsenic six months tin person nan MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, and rubella) if travelling to countries wherever bales is prevalent. The first dose of nan MMR vaccine is typically fixed astatine 12 months arsenic portion of nan National Immunisation Program (NIP). However, if a kid receives an early dose anterior to travel, it is recommended that they still person their regular doses successful statement pinch nan NIP schedule.

Recommendations for Health Professionals
Healthcare professionals should stay vigilant for signs of measles, peculiarly successful returned overseas travellers who whitethorn beryllium astatine risk. General practices and emergency departments are encouraged to inquire patients astir caller recreation and measure immoderate individuals presenting pinch fever and rash for measles. In cases wherever bales is suspected, healthcare providers should instantly spot nan diligent successful isolation, supply them pinch a mask, and vacate consultation rooms for astatine slightest 30 minutes aft assessment. Testing for bales includes throat swabs aliases nasopharyngeal aspirates, arsenic good arsenic urine samples for PCR analysis. Serology tests to measure immunity tin besides beryllium conducted. Any suspected bales cases should beryllium reported instantly to nan section Public Health Unit during business hours aliases to nan Department of Health aft hours.

Free MMR vaccines are disposable to those who whitethorn beryllium susceptible to measles, moreover if they are not eligible for Medicare. It is important that each wellness professionals stay alert to bales risks and guarantee that due vaccinations are up to day earlier world travel.